Locking device



May 21, 1929. R. B. WELLS 1,714,200

LOCKING DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1927 Fm Bud man BMEZZS Patented May 21, 1929.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES RODMAN B. WELLS, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LOCKING DEVICE.

Application filed January 29, 1927. Serial No. 164,440.

Several devices are known and in general use which are applied to folding or roll-away type of beds to retain the mattress, linen, and blankets in place while the bed is folded away in tilted position. Among these devices the one most commonly in use is a bent rod or hook which slides up and down in a bracket on the end frame of the bed and is pushed down to hold the mattress hard enough so that a side pressure is exerted on the rod to hold it in position. Such a device is very inconvenient and awkward and requires the use of considerable force in operation either to fasten or unfasten the same. Also these devices become loose and worn and even when new often fail to hold the bedding when the bed is tilted.

Among the objects of my invention are, therefore, to provide an improved lock which is readily attachable toeXist-ing beds in place of the locking devices now in use;

To provide a retaining device of the type described which is simple in construction, easy to operate, and positive in its action;

To provide a locking device which is so constructed as to securely clamp the bedding in place by the clamping action of its members, without the application of a great deal of pressure and yet which has a simple releasing catch to open the device by a simple operation;

To supply a locking device which has an improved gripping arrangement which gives greater rigidity, more security, and much greater ease of operation than existing. devices.

Further objects and features of my inven tion will be apparent from the following detailed description. Although I have shown the device of my invention in one specific embodiment, it will be understood that there are many adaptations and variations of the same which will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a side view of the device attached to the frame of a bed.

Fig. 2 shows a top view of thesame together with a broken-away section of the bed frame.

Fig. 3 is another side view of the dev ce opposing the upper jaw showing, in diagrammatic form, a part of a mattress with the device in locked position holding'the mattress in place.

Fig. 4 shows a portion only of the device illustrating one method of attaching it to the frame of the bed.

Fig. 5 is a view taken from the left of Fig. i

1 with arm 5 removed to show the shape of the jaw 10.

Iteferrlng to the drawings, I will now de scribe the device in detail and its method of operation.

At 2, in Fig. 1, is indicated the end cross member of a folding bed. It will be understood by those versed in this art that this end frame in some cases acts as a fastening member for the springs of the bed and may stand in horizontal position at the top of the bed when the same is folded away, or in some instances may be in vertical position. In any case in the usual form of so-called in-adoor or roll-away beds it is imperative that adequate fastening means be supplied for the bedding to keep the same in position regardless of the tilting of the bed. At 3 is shown a strip of sheet metal, the upper half twisted at right angles to the lower half. On the upper half a segment of a circle is cut and upon this I have provided a series of ratchet teeth 7. Pivotedto the support 3 at 4 is a clamping member 5 also formed from a fold- I of arm 5. The arm 5 is readily movable downward by hand, in which case the dog 9 slides over the teeth of ratchet 7. At the lower part of upright 3 is attached a metal rod or clamping member 10, which is formed into the shape shown and has its two ends 11 and 12 inserted through holes in the member 3 and riveted as shown in Fig. 4. The member 10 has an upturned edge which acts as a lower jaw of the clamping or locking device 5. The shape of the lower jaw 10 is more clearly shown in Fig. 5. In practically all beds of the folding type now in use some form of bedding clamp s usually employed, and, therefore, there is usually a screw hole in the cross bar at the end of the bed such as is shown in. cross bar 2. I, therefore, have provided a fastening bolt 13 which fits through a hole in the lower end of upright 3 and may be inserted in a hole through the channel iron bed frame to support the device. In some instances it may be that the channel frame of a bed is drilled through the horizontalsection of frame 2 instead of through the vertical section. In this case I provide a fastening member 14,115; shown in Fig. 4, through which a bolt 15 is inserted which passes through the hole in the frame 2.

In operation, the dog 9 is lifted out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 7 to release the arm 5. This arm 5 is then laid back to the left in Fig. 1 until the ratchet 9 engages the edge of upright 3 below the ratchet teeth. The mattress indicated at 16 in Fi 3 is now laid over the upward extending jaw of arm 10 into the position shown in Fig. 3. The bedding although. not shown may be also folded over the end of the mattress and held in the clamp. The arm 5 is now rotated to the right about its pivot until the gripping edge 6 engages the top of the mattressas in Fig. 3. The arm 5 is now pushed down tightly to clamp the mattress and the dog 9 then engages one of the ratchet teeth 7 to hold the arm in whatever position it may assume dependent upon thethielzness of the mattress.

t will thus be seen that the bedding is securely clamped between the opposed jaws 5 and 10 which are somewhat offset so as to cause the mattress to assume a somewhat curved position and thus aid in the clamping. One of the main features of improvement in this device is the ease with which the same may be released from locked position regardless of how tight the bedding is locked in place. This releasing is accomplished by merely pressing up on the dog 9 to release it from the ratchet teeth and the arm 5 may then be freely moved out of engagement with the bedding and laid back in open position. The device also adapts itself automatically to a mattress or bedding of any thickness and if desired more ratchet teeth 7 may be added to increase the range through which the thickness of the mattress may be varied. It will be understood that more than one of these devices is usually supplied for each bed and as many desired may be user to effectually lock the mattress and bedding in place.

Having thus fully described and ascertained the features and aspects of my invention, what I consider to be new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent will be pointed out in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A. clamping device for securing the bedding in a tilting bed, consisting of an upright fastened to the end of the frame thereof, a lower clan'iping member fastened to the upright and lying parallel to the bed springs having an upward extension an upper clampin member pivoted to the upper end of said ght having a gripping surface at its outer end engaging the upper side of the mattress and a ratchet and pawl for-locking the pivoted arm in engagement with the mattress or bedding.

2. A. clamp for securing the bedding in a tilting bed comprising an upright fastened to the frame thereof, a lower clai'nping member secured to the upright having a curved end engaging the underside of the bedding, another clampin member pivoted to the upright having a curved end engaging the upper side of the bedding. said upper member longer than the lower and engaging the bedding at a point farther from the end of the bedding than that engaged by the lower member, and a ratchet and pawl device for securing the pivoted member in engagement with the'bedding.

3. A unitary clamping device for securing the bedding in a tilting bed. comprising an upright secured tothe bed frame carrying lower and upper jaws, each jaw having an extension extending toward the other jaw, the upper jaw being longer than the lower jaw and engaging thebedding at a point farther from the end of the bedding than the point engaged by the lower jaw, said upper jaw being pivoted and movable through a semi-circle and having means for securing it in engagement with the bedding.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of January A. D. 1927.

RO'DMAN B. WELLS. 

